Single piece variation as well as multi-piece stack-up variation make it difficult to maintain even margins around grilles during assembly. Often there is no “center” reference to use as a locator when installing grilles. Without a center reference or centered locator, an assembly fixture is typically required. Fixtures add substantial tooling costs, slow production and take up a significant amount of space on an assembly line.
While alternatives have been developed to remove the dependence on fixtures, the effectiveness of those alternatives typically depends on operator skill and technique. Thus, there is a constant tradeoff between installation efforts and self-centering ability. Unfortunately, in this situation, strong operator dependence leads to significant build variation.
This document relates to a new and improved self-centering grille assembly, a new and improved centering bar for a motor vehicle grille as well as to a new and improved method of centering a grille between a first outboard component and a second outboard component on a motor vehicle. Advantageously, the new self-centering grille assembly, centering bar and method eliminate dependence on assembly fixtures and precise operator skill and technique, greatly simplifying the grille centering process, significantly reducing build variation and substantially improving build quality.